


Unexpected Equilibrium

by Rockingcass12



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: AU, F/M, Fluffy Ending, Hopeful Ending, It get's angsty now and then, medievalAU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-26
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2019-10-16 15:55:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17552660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rockingcass12/pseuds/Rockingcass12
Summary: They were destined to bear the marks of Good and Bad Luck but perhaps they weren't meant to suffer their fates alone. Maybe they could find a purpose through each other.(MedievalAU)





	1. The Unforeseen Curse of the Ladybug

Legends say that there was always a Balance in every aspect of life. Where there was life, there was death. Where there was Joy there was Sorrow. And where there was a Happy ending… there was also a sad one.

But this Legend isn't one of them.

No, this one may have similar tropes and clichés but it is one that teaches the value of love and companionship, friendship and compromise, and is one where it teaches its listeners that true Happiness can't be achieved by simply wishing for it nor waiting for it to come. It truly  **can**  happen if you work hard for it.

Unfortunately not everyone is strong enough to do that.

So what is this Legend, you ask?

It's about a young girl who was blessed with the luck of the Ladybug that couldn't find out what true fulfilment was and a young boy with a curse of the Black Cat who knew what that true fulfillment was, but couldn't obtain it.

* * *

A booming clap of thunder echoed through the whole of Paris although some Parisians swear that it felt like it did so in their own homes.

Dark clouds sat firmly above the city as it had for a number of weeks giving off an equal amount of thunder and lightning as there was rain, which was plenty. It seemed like this was the new plague was becoming too much for the city.

It was so bad in fact that the Parisian local residents who travelled to work were too afraid of catching deadly flus by being in the rain too much. Eventually the King's knights stopped their daily patrols because of being too fearful of what the lightning could do to them in their suits during high voltage storms

People with outside markets have not been able to sell much and their supplier's fields were too waterlogged to harvest anything.

This plague was the worst they have had yet in Paris.

First it was the drought following with insect infestations and then half the livestock dropped dead… and so on and so forth.

Paris hadn't always been like this, no it was prosperous and sunny and cheerful. It was an amazing city until 5 years ago.

With this plague to the town many people who were prosperous enough could leave but due to many of the unfortunate events lots of those who were prosperous are now barely getting by.

So eighty five percent of the citizens couldn't leave but tried to get by.

One of those out of the eighty five percent who were floating by comfortably, where the local Bakers, the Dupain's.

On one stormy day that seemed to be like any other day that month the bakery's door chimed before Tom and Sabine were about to close.

The big burly owner was going to tell the new comer that they were closing but saw that it wasn't a customer.

"Oh what a pleasure to see you. Sabine we have a visitor!" he called his wife.

The small Oriental woman entered the room and warmly welcomed the visitor "Alya! So good to see you!"

The young maiden who entered smiled affectionately and took her coat off to dry on the hanger nearby.

"Mr and Mrs Dupain it's so good to see you" the younger woman said smiling as much as she could.

"Likewise, we don't get to see much of Marinette's friends after she left home." Tom said with a slight sadness in his tone.

Alya smiled sadly at her best friends parents "I do apologise for not visiting enough, planning a wedding in such troublesome times has taken a strain on Sir Lahiffe and I."

"Don't apologise, we have been lucky enough to have your previous visits along with some of Marinette's other friends."

"You are too kind. It has felt longer than it has been since she had left. Now that I think about it, it has been a little over 5 years." Alya noted.

It had been that long. As soon as the plagues began in France, Marinette at the ripe age of fourteen had been recommended to go to study in Italy for sowing and clothing making, which her parents where enthralled by, until something quite peculiar happened when she was traveling there. In the midst of her journey, Marinette had caught the attention of a former protégé knight that wasn't well known at the time, Jeanne d'Arc… later known to be Joan of Arc.

How that came to be was a miraculous event to recall. Marinette, as most people knew her, was notoriously clumsy but something clicked inside the girl when she was passing through a small village in France during her travels. As the raven-haired girl was about to cross the road she noticed an old man had collapsed in the middle of the road and without hesitation Marinette ran to help him disregarding what was transpiring around her. Once she helped the man to his feet a carriage was racing towards them and Marinette in a desperate last resort shielded the man. Joan of Arc standing close by recalls how the carriage, with no explanation, was lifted 5 feet above the ground and missed the two completely.

Joan had asked Marinette to consider a cause she had been fabricating for the future of France over Marinette's future in clothing making. Marinette was not expecting to accept it but since that event Marinette felt like she could do more for the people of France by joining Joan and being offered training by said woman was the sign that the young girl needed to make her mind up.

Naturally the letter Marinette sent to her parents did surprise them and make them a little fearful until they went to visit their daughter a few months after Marinette started being trained. Once her parents saw how much their daughter had changed their minds were put at ease at how their daughter was at a cause to help the people of France and they felt prouder than ever. Now and then they tried to visit her whenever they were in a safe area during the oppression of England or during their campaign but on the other hand they didn't let her come to Paris to visit with the horrible things that were happening. When Marinette had a sizable income after their successful victory in Orleans a year ago, she offered her parents a home in Gartempe Valley but they declined the offer since they knew Paris was where they belonged despite all that was happening.

Now and then Marinette's friends wanted to visit her but it was too dangerous so they would instead go visit Tom and Sabine and ask how their friend is doing, like what Alya was currently doing.

"Why don't we fix you something warm to drink Alya" Sabine offered.

Before Sabine and Alya could make it to the stairs a man burst through the doors in a flurry.

"Quick come look! Something unnatural is occurring outside the city!"

The three left the store and saw whilst in the rain that in the distance there was a patch of clear blue sky and it was spreading or rather the clouds were evaporating! The plague had been lifted! There must be someone who had done it.

There was a sizable amount of people outside not sure whether to be complexed or joyous until one resident suggested: "Let us go to where the storm started disappearing!"

A small crowd including Tom, Sabine and Alya made their way towards the edge of Paris and were taken back on the brightness without the clouds but kept marching along and trying to open their eyes in the process.

They kept going until those in the front stopped suddenly and murmurs sprouted and the three pushed their way to the front.

A knight in a full suit of armour looked like it had just come out of battle but the peculiar thing about this knight is that he was smaller looking than the average sized knight and also what really stuck out about this knight was the colour of his armour which was a metallic red.

Fear grew among the crowd unsure if the knight was British; to say the least that the curse on Paris was a blessing in disguise since no man on the outside dared to come to the plague ridden town and that included any British invaders.

The knight lifted his head to look to the crowd and upon the people and spotted familiar faces.

"Mama? Papa?" a small female voice asked weakly.

Tom and Sabine both stood forward "Marinette is that you?" Sabine asked.

The knight took off her helmet revealing a half oriental girl with raven hair and blue eyes which teared up with no hesitation.

"Mama! Papa!" The girl wailed running into her parents arms.

The couple enfolded their daughter tightly while she cried silently, thankful she's okay and in their arms again.

* * *

After the commotion and Alya's influence to disperse the crowd, the four returned to the bakery where Marinette could calm down, wash up and clean her wounds. Once she had a bath and dressed her wounds she then dressed in her mother's older clothes. Alya was waiting in her old bedroom and once she saw her best friend she didn't say a thing but her hug spoke more than any words could say.

"I really missed you Marinette" Alya sniffed ready to cry.

"Same here" Marinette said already crying "I'm so sorry it's been this long."

Alya pulled away and shook her hair "Don't be, your parents wouldn't had wanted you back with all that is going on here."

That being said Alya did wonder why the current plague has dissipated once Marinette had return but it didn't matter at this moment.

A knock came from outside the door and Alya opened it to let Marinette's parents in and they all seated around the raven haired girl.

"Sweet heart, I know you must be under a lot of pain and stress but can you tell us what happened?"

Marinette looked pained but she breathed in deeply and spoke "We were ambushed… and Joan she… made sure I and some others got out before they could capture us."

The room felt tense, it felt like there was more to be said and the rest of Marinette's explanation made them wish that there wasn't.

"We did manage to escape but I… I wasn't sure what I was thinking… I followed the group back to London but I was too late to save the rest and Joan…"

She breathed in tremblingly

"…Was burned at the stake"

The room felt heavy to say the least and the doubtful searing despair came from the young girl. Alya put her comforting hand on her friends shoulder for support although Marinette didn't really seem to register it.

"Sweetheart… you can't blame yourself for that." Tom spoke up.

Marinette shook her head violently "It shouldn't have been her Papa! She protected me because she thought I was special but I'm just some girl who shouldn't have been there to begin with! If she hadn't focused on saving me she wouldn't have been captured!"

"Marinette, we are talking about a legendary girl here. If she said you were special and saved you, then Darling you have to see why she did what she did. Joan of Arc wouldn't want you to blame yourself." Sabine tried to reason.

Fresh tears kept coming from Marinette's blue bell eyes and her denial poured out just as much.

"You don't understand, the reason why we were captured was because of this forsaken curse!" she slammed her fist against the side table next to her bed.

Alya looking puzzled tried to calm the Raven haired girl "Marinette, calm down! What curse?"

Marinette felt her strength leave slowly and decided to try calm herself down as her best friend suggested.

"Joan kept saying it was fate she met me that day were the carriage missed the elderly man and I. After I started training with her in her village, unusual spouts of luck hit the town and undue attention was turned on me by outsiders. Joan concluded that I've been blessed by God with the Luck of the Ladybug." Marinette explained sounding calmer.

"I thought it was nonsense but no matter where I went good luck followed and it was what we needed to start Joan's campaign and start the resistance. Although this so called Luck of mine was a double edge sword…" she continued

"How so?" Alya asked.

"People wanted this luck too or they thought it was witchcraft… And Joan did everything she and her men could so I was safe. In fact she made sure people were to think it was her that was blessed with Lady Luck. And that was why we were attacked by Bishop Pierre Cauchon's soldiers and that is why she was put to death… because I was cursed with this unseemly so-called Luck."

Trying to process all this information was no fleeting matter but all that Tom, Sabine and Alya could do was comfort Marinette at this time.

"It just feels so unfair though…" Marinette said quietly.

"And what is that Darling?" Tom asked.

"She and I are…were the same age and yet it didn't matter to them who killed her with no restraint, or conscience..."

"Marinette it was the life she chose don't forget that, it was her cause and decisions that the British found infuriating. But I have a feeling or rather I know that her decision was for the greater good." Tom reasoned.

Marinette couldn't disagree; in fact if she could've spoken to her late contemporary she would say something really similar.

"I think you should rest now Marinette, you've had a hard journey and you need to get your strength back." Sabine suggested as her and Tom got up and started leaving the room.

Alya though wanted to stay for a little bit longer "I'm happy to see you're okay Marinette and despite all that has happened I am truly grateful to Mme d'Arc for keeping you safe until her last breath."

Marinette smiled sadly "I guess you could say she found out her true purpose in this world. I wish I could say the same."

It was true; Marinette didn't feel like she had achieved true fulfilment in her life so far despite having a gift such as hers. The motivation for leaving her clothing dream was to see if fighting on behalf of France was her true purpose. She couldn't have felt more wrong the more she carried on in life.

'Perhaps being home will help me see what my true calling is after all' Marinette thought to herself.

"Think positive Marinette! Because of your good luck the town was rid of its new plague! Remember you have and always will be special to all of us." Alya said enthusiastically.

With a small smile on her face Marinette waved off her friend good bye and tucked herself in early for a good night's rest.

Although…

She couldn't shake off the weird aura she felt when she arrived in Paris.

Perhaps she was overthinking it.

* * *

Perhaps he was overthinking it…

In the midst of the darkness a figure stood up grabbing his chest, not out pain but of some sensation he couldn't explain.

He hadn't felt this exhilarated since over 5 years ago before his life crumbled into pieces.

And possibly this feeling sparked hope in him that he had lost many moons ago…


	2. Omen's Backlash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where the Luck of the Ladybug's reputation doesn't go unnoticed and the Black Cat yowls in agony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are all of you aware that I have dug a whole I can't get out of? Why do I say so? Because I really like this AU and I shouldn't get attached but HERE I AM… ATTACHED!
> 
> Enjoy the second chapte

Marinette had to admit to herself that she sorely missed her old home to the largest degree. From waking up before the sun began to rise, listening to her mama and papa bustle downstairs preparing bake goods for the day and smelling the most delectable freshly baked bread in all of France. Normally she would help them but this time she took the opportunity to gaze on her hometown as the rays of morning splendour would wash over the city.

She climbed up the familiar ladder up to the roof which was surprisingly well kept despite her absence from home all this time.

'Mama must have been up here a lot while I was gone.' She thought sadly.

She was barefoot and felt the pads of her feet stick to the floor slightly as she paced to the bar of the balcony and set her palms around it like she had hundreds times before. The sun ached its way slowly across the horizon and the rays decorated themselves in multiple directions. The Siene caught some of the rays and glistened amongst the ripples. What Marinette was missing were the chirps of the birds nearby, although it did cross the young woman's mind that Paris probably hadn't been this way in a while so most likely there aren't many animals around.

It was hard for her to believe how bad it had become in her absence, for all she saw were the beginnings of what had happened and then she left intending to go to Italy. Strange that the Ladybug curse had only come upon her only after these plagues had sprouted up. Was this coincidence not much of a coincidence at all? Was she somehow connected to what had been happening here?

She would like to say no but she felt tingly the whole time when she had returned and not to mention an aura she keeps feeling but cannot identify.

Was this a sign?

* * *

Paris had started to look up in the few weeks that had passed since Marinette's return. Paris had become a bit livelier in fact, with a new hope in the people. Or so she thought…

Marinette had started helping in the bakery again and was feeling her anxiety loosen as she kept herself busy. She and her parents agreed that they should get her settled in before she could meet with her friends again excluding Alya. Marinette will admit since she's been home that she had felt extremely disconnected from everything that had been going down in the townspeople's lives.

For example after Marinette's departure a great tragedy hit the Agreste Manor. The Agreste's were one of the wealthiest families in Paris next to King Bourgeois' own family. The head of the Agreste household, Gabriel Agreste, was one of the wealthiest men in France alone and was bestowed by the King a Duke status. The rest of his family consisted of his wife Emile and his only son Adrien and for all that the city knew they were happy.

Marinette was wholly shocked to hear that M. Agreste's wife and son died after her parting. She may have never known the family but she couldn't help the tug of pain in her chest that she had for M. Agreste. She thought of what her Papa would be like if her and her mother weren't here.

Along with some other news Marinette was happy to hear her old friends managed to get happiness in such hard times. Mylenne and Ivan have gotten married and are expecting their first child, Alya and Nino are to be wed soon, Nathaniel has become a personal painter to the royal family, Kim has become one of the top ranked knights in Paris and the list continues. Honestly Marinette is proud her friends achieved the goals they did despite Paris' dire years that have passed

Marinette was sweeping in the back of the bakery in the mid afternoon when she heard a bit of commotion at the front. Perplexed she set down her broom and went silently went to look out the slightly open doorway.

"Tom you have to let some of these people near your daughter! She's blessed with good luck so surely she can cure these people!" A villager pleaded.

"I understand but what you are asking is out of the question Monsieur. These people have caught unidentified illnesses no one has ever heard of and you want my daughter to go potentially catch it herself?" Tom said in slight agitation.

"Tom please understand. I'm sure if they were even in the same room as her they would be healed." Another man cried out.

"And you Monsieur please understand that as her father I put her safety above any other. Now if you aren't here for business, kindly make your way home." Tom dismissed the agitated crowd.

Once the crowd left Sabine sighed loudly "Now I can see what Marinette was speaking of about her gift. If the news of her Luck spreads then what can we do dear?"

"As much as possible." He answered.

Marinette couldn't let that go by though "Mama, Papa…"

The two were startled and turned around to see Marinette fidgeting uncomfortably.

"Oh my how long were you there Sweetheart?" Sabine asked.

"The whole time… Mama, Papa I don't want to cause you grief by this. I am a trained knight and fighter, not to mention that this is a familiar scenario I've encountered so I don't want to be a burden on the two of you."

"Now Marinette You know that you will never be a burden so don't think in such a way" Sabine said sternly.

"You are our daughter so anything we do for you will never be a burden" Tom reaffirmed.

Marinette smiled warmly but still felt a sympathetic pang in her chest. Would it hurt just to see the sick? Being near them would be enough but she knows all to well the extent of what the luck of the Ladybug can do and it can be limited in some regards. Not to mention the uproar that might begin again and Marinette didn't want anyone she loved to be caught in the crossfire like the last time.

So hiding in the bakery was her best bet… but now rumours were spreading and her current hiding spot has an expiring date. She didn't want to think about it at the moment.

The next morning Marinette woke up to the sound of people bustling outside. She furrowed her brow and rubbed her eyes grumpily and she went to see the commotion outside her window.

Her eyes widened and her throat tightened at the sight of the people outside the bakery and the very elaborate carriage outside too. Was an aristocrat here?

Marinette quickly changed and ran downstairs to the bakery to see her mom looking outside worryingly.

"Mama what is going on?" Marinette asked and startled her mother from her concentration.

"Oh sweetheart you're awake. Don't worry dear your father is outside dismissing everyone." Sabine tried to avoid telling the whole story.

Marinette looked irritated looking outside to the crowd waiting. She saw her father barely in the crowd talking angrily to someone.

"I think it's time to end this" Marinette whispered in a stern tone.

Without warning her mother Marinette charged out the bakery loudly.

The people closest to the door were startled and the rest of the crowd noticed and went quiet. Looking at Marinette's serious stance the crowd moved back to reveal who Tom was talking to. Marinette marched down the path and saw the person who was the owner of the carriage she saw upstairs. King Bourgeois stood by his personal knights and looked as arrogant as Marinette perceived any king to be.

Behind the king was Princess Chloe who Marinette knew to be notoriously apathetic and quiet the brat but looking at the blonde girl Marinette was surprised to see the princess ill.

Tom panicked seeing his daughter tried to hush her back into the bakery but Marinette shook her head and gave him that stubborn look he knew all too well. The burly man stood back for Marinette to speak to the King.

"Mademoiselle Dupain I do pardon the fuss of the crowd but we have made the time to visit your… home and we request your help. From the rumours we have heard we have come to believe you possess the power of luck am I correct?" The king spoke out in a loud voice for all to hear.

Many whispers cluttered around the area and Marinette looked uncomfortable but she was determined to look hard.

"Your Majesty I believe you might have heard wrong. I was a knight of the French resistance who worked under Joan of Arc who was the one who had possessed such a gift."

' _Had'_

The harsh memories were slowly coming back to Marinette but she had to shove the emotions down at the moment.

King Bourgeois frowned at the girl "Now I understand your caution Mademoiselle but your return to Paris says a different tale of who possesses this gift. Because of your return the plague of the Floods and Lightning storms have ceased. Now with this new epidemic of Diseases has come up, I as the King have to now take some action and find a solution. Mademoiselle Dupain this has even reached my own household, so I ask of your help." The King pleaded then looking over his shoulder to his daughter who was ready to faint.

Marinette stared down the king and frowned in bitterness "I…do wish to help you with this your majesty but I'm afraid my so-called gift of good luck doesn't always solve any direct problems."

The King looked astonished at her words "What do you mean? It solved the last problem didn't it?"

Marinette crossed her arms over each other showing her discomfort "Like yourself your majesty people would search me out to cure the sick, lame and blind but my ability to do so is limited. I can only cure common sicknesses and that is the extent it can go to. The sickness that has affected the town isn't common; it may even be… terminal."

Chloe behind her father looked panicked and utterly terrified and her father took note of it and in his panic he went on his knees in front of Marinette "Please you can't let my darling daughter die! Please! I am begging you!"

The whole town gasped in shock of the Kings desperate plea for help and Marinette took several steps back not sure what to do.

'Think Marinette! Maybe you can do something!' she pleaded with herself.

The atmosphere felt very tense and as Marinette was contemplating an idea struck in her mind… if there were so many plagues maybe a curse has been cast on the town?

"Your Majesty this town has been struck with plagues for some time am I correct? Perhaps if we can pinpoint the problem we can stop the problems."

The crowd went silent and the King got up with the dignity he had left and looked over to his top knight and nodded his head for the man to take off his helmet.

"We are… familiar with who might be responsible…" The King said hesitantly.

'So someone is really behind this all?'

With heavy silence the king was mulling over something in his head and then looked to Marinette "Very well… this information isn't meant to be heard by many but this is a rare case."

Marinette gulped.

"We have speculation to believe that on the outer skirts of the South side of Paris there is a warlock or dark force residing in the wasteland." The Knight who had removed his helmet from earlier informed Marinette. Marinette recognised him to be Sir D'Argencourt.

'Now that sounds plausible.' Marinette thought.

Many though being slacked jawed, Marinette having been in the service before didn't think this was unusual and there were some dark forces out there that non-sane people delved on. So now that the mayor addressed this he perhaps could send his men to evaluate and solve this situation.

"Very well Mademoiselle Dupain we humbly thank you for taking on this task." Sir D'Argencourt presumed.

'What?' Marinette's eyes were displaying.

"Umm… Excuse me?" She inquired in a stupor.

"We thank you for going to rid us of that Warlock or Omen. That is what you were implying right? With your experience in the resistance you should have the understanding? Not to mention the advantage of your circumstances." The head Knight clarified.

"I… Uh wasn't… Wait-!" Marinette stared stuttering and was interrupted by the towns folk cheering of the news.

'How am I going to get out of this?!' She shrieked internally.

* * *

It smelt indescribable in the mansion. He hadn't come across this stench before…

It was like Ashes and Decay.

Why?

Why was the ground in pieces?

Why?

Why did his father look terrified?

Where was his mother?

It was disgusting, horrifying and vile; the corpse that laid there in front of him and his father staring in horror the opposite side of the torn room.

The book his father held was lodged in his hands and secured against his chest.

In his catatonic state he asked his father "Is mama better?"

The young boy's face had streaks of black growing on him, crawling everywhere and his eyes… good gods his eyes where glowing in an evil manner.

"Papa, do… Do I have good luck yet? We need to fix Mama." He asked dully in a trance.

He didn't feel pain; his head said he should… He saved Mama right?

The boy kept looking at the corpse and lifted his head up to a mirror nearby.

"P…P-Papa! Theres a monster!" The boy screeched coming out of is trance.

He got onto his legs and retreated backwards and hit the wall. He was out of his trance and he looked to the corpse again.

"MAMAN!"

A young man in a dark whereabouts jolted up from his slumber in agony and fright. Gasping for air that he never knew he needed he touched his drenched forehead to calm the pain in his head. His eyes glowed eerily in the dark looking for a small puddle that was should be forming nearby. He pulled himself shakily to a shallow puddle and tried to splash some water to his sweaty face.

He groaned in agony at the disturbing memory that plagued his dreams again. Nonstop that day played in his head and he knew he could never shake the fear off.

"Please leave me… I don't want this! I never wanted this!" The young boy cried in pain.

"Someone… Anybody, just… just kill me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone care to motivate me?


	3. Burning Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chance meeting of two entities.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sick so here's a new chapter

"The Lady of the house hasn't been faring well since her and her husband's return from the East" A servant whispered to another in the mansion halls one morning.

The house had become very worrisome of the Lady Emilie's of the Agreste manor, as most had adored her over her husband. She had gotten ill for no apparent reason and even the doctors couldn't identify the cause nor what she was ailing from.

Gabriel Agreste being the most affected tried not to leave his wife side and still reassures his son that she will be well soon. His son although being fourteen was not going to be cohered into believing such a thing as he is witnessing his mother fall deeper into sickness.

While in the main bedroom Gabriel sat next to his wife while she found it hard to stay awake for more than thirty minutes.

"Darling I think this is all caused because of-" Emilie started to say before going into a fit of coughing.

With a reassuring hand on hers she looked to see her husband's face twisted in sorrow

"The book… yes I thought it to be a possibility. It hasn't just affected you since our return, looking at some events in Paris of late." Gabriel confirmed her thoughts.

"Have you deciphered in the text how we can fix all this?" she said weakly.

"Somewhat… I could only pick up that if one were to recite the following text that a wanted recipient would receive certain gifts. Some vary but the stronger powers are of Luck and Misfortune." He explained.

Emilie frowned "I know that face, what else is to be said?"

"The holders of Luck and Misfortune can only be activated at the same time since they only exist because of one another."

A sigh of disappointment escaped her lips "So activating the holder of Luck could be dangerous in odds of the Misfortune holder to be awoken too. And we have no knowledge of who it could be correct?"

"If we select a candidate for one of them, the persons opposite or confidante will be the other holder with or without consent." Gabriel confirmed.

Emilie nodded sadly "And getting rid of the book won't solve this?"

Gabriel shook his head "I've tried to dispose of it but it finds its way back in my personal library."

Emilie laughed bitterly "I'm afraid we've gotten into something, haven't we?"

Gabriel frowned not responding, watching his wife slip into slumber. He stood up and exited the room to let his wife rest. As he exited the room he got a fright to see Adrien trying to walk away from eavesdropping.

"Adrien." Gabriel said sternly.

Jumping in surprise Adrien turned around timidly and rubbed his neck "Y-yes father?"

"How much did you hear?" Gabriel went straight to the question.

Adrien could only feel frightened at the tone of his father's voice and he couldn't lie to him as his mother always had told him that it would do more harm than he thinks it would.

Adrien gulped "All of it…"

Gabriel feared that to be the answer and he sighed to hear his suspicions confirmed.

"I'm sorry you had to find out all of this Adrien but do try not to concern yourself with it." Gabriel tried to dismiss his son.

"I want to help Papa!" Adrien blurted out.

Gabriel turned around just as he was going to take his absence and looked at his son in shock.

"We need a candidate for someone to be the luck holder and I'll take up the task." Adrien said in a bolder tone.

"Adrien you know the repercussions, the holder for misfortune will awaken too."

"Then I can find the holder and my good luck can solve it."

"We don't know that." Gabriel turned down the notion.

"We can figure it out before Mama is gone, just please let me do this!" Adrien pleaded in tears.

Gabriel close to his own breakdown looked to his heartbroken son and laid his hand on his shoulder.

"I will give it careful consideration."

...

'What a horrifying mistake that was…' Adrien thought to himself as he was lying against the cave wall.

The young boy lying in the dark cave, looking like a rabid wild cat was recalling the biggest mistake he had himself tangled up in. In hindsight it was a good plan but the execution was miscalculated. He wasn't meant to be the holder of Misfortune yet why did it happen so?

Adrien bitterly remembered how his father and himself went to his mother's room where she had slept and his father stood in front of him and read a verse from the mysterious book. That's where his memory stopped and only came back to the stench of decay and his mother was dead. It only later came to his traumatised state that he was the one responsible for it and not to mention his fathers petrified face that he could never forget.

Before Adrien could comprehend anything else he dashed out the mansion running away from the town. He kept going and going until his legs were about to give up and he managed to find something to hide in and that's where he had stayed for the next couple of years.

He had been so dispirited to not move and to waste away bitterly from where his sat. Maybe once or twice he went to look outside during twilight and he saw how the land around him had become more of a wasteland than when he first arrived. He thought the distance from the town would suffice.

He also thought his death would come around due to starvation but his body hadn't disintegrated from hunger. The rest of him did change though apart from growing of age but his hair had gotten to wilder state and his sight in the dark was 20/20. He remembered his face had black streaks on it but every time he looked to a reflection in a puddle he didn't notice anything of the sort but he did notice how frightening his eyes looked glowing green and looking similar to a black cats.

I guess he could call himself that…

An Unlucky Black Cat…

But what of his confidante that was supposed to exist after his transformation. Yes he had intended to hold Lucks power but held Misfortune instead so who got the power of Luck? Who was it? Was the person happy that they got such a gift?

Thinking of this person made his heart pound for some reason. His father told his mother that everyone has an opposite and that proves truer than he thought it would.

Like being Push and Pull or Forward and Backwards. Good Luck and Bad Luck.

A wave of a familiar sensation swept through him. It felt like cool water running through his veins or maybe it was fiery tingles stretching all over. The sensation was so strong he didn't know how to handle it.

Was someone close by?

* * *

'Seriously how did I land up in this situation?' Marinette whined internally staring over the southern wastelands.

She was clad in her red armour, excluding her helmet, that she got fixed and polished the day before. She had a lot of time to think about what she was heading too and her parents couldn't help but voice their concerns. Marinette came to a realization that perhaps she was the right person to do this. She did have this gift for some type of reason so maybe she could put it to use along with her own skills. Maybe this was her true purpose? She honestly doesn't know what having a true purpose even means so perhaps after all of this was over she might know where to head from here.

A small part of her did wonder if it was worth the risk to find ones purpose or goal in life but Marinette was stubborn like that. Despite all that had been given and done the young woman felt like it was her place and her place alone to find out.

She walked on the wastelands and noticed how truly dead it seemed to be out here. The grass wasn't even here, despite the massive amount of rain that had been around the ground should be lush but the soil seemed hardened and dry, as if it was like that even before the rains came and nothing had been absorbed.

Marinette wasn't sure how long she had been walking but the sun hadn't been fair on her nor were the dusty winds that swept by.

Once she had been thinking this track could be futile, a hard thump banged in her chest without warning. She initially thought it was nothing or was the exhaustion but ten another thud pounded in her chest and then her veins felt like they were on fire.

I became hard to breathe all of the sudden and she had to take a knee to steady herself from her heavy panting and rigid feeling. The power was overwhelming and was all so new yet familiar. She could best describe it as feeling exhilarated but overpowering and the rigidness she felt had passed. She felt so ethereal all of the sudden and she hoisted herself up to look around for what had caused the feeling she felt. Her instincts though kept telling her to track forward and without hesitation she did so, she tracked up until she saw a steep slope and her gut was telling her that something was on the top.

Her breathing was burning her lungs from overexertion from running up the hill and the relentless clanking of her armour should have alerted someone if they were at the top hence why she kept one hand on top of her sheathed sword.

Once she reached the top was more wasteland and her mind was irritated while she huffed and wheezed for air.

'To your Left.' A soft foreign voice whispered in her head.

Marinette almost jumped out of her skin at the stranger's voice that appeared. She unsheathed her sword prepared for battle but she didn't see anyone there.

"Is being in these Badlands making my mind rot?" Marinette asked herself aloud.

She looked to her left as the voice told her and she faintly saw something in the distance. Marinette thought she would feel fatigue but the fire that was ignited inside of her earlier still burned and was ever more so with each step. This truly was something she couldn't walk away from now.

Sunset had come and Marinette had to carry on without stop. As she got closer she noticed a cave in the distance next to a dead tree. Finally reaching the entrance of the cave she noticed it was small in appearance but the real size was far larger underground.

Her small body scorching on the inside confirmed that something was in this location. She went to the tree and cut the branches and nested them together tying it with a cloth she had. She also brought out her water pouch and drenched the cloth and set the branches alight with a flint. She cautiously shimmied her way down into the cave and when on a more level ground she began to track slowly and the sensation was swirling and twisting inside of her stomach. She wasn't sure how much further the tunnel went but the burning sensation is pretty much a clear compass from here.

She stopped abruptly and drew her sword and her other hand held the torch she made but her chest was ready to explode, she felt much unprotected. Something was here.

"Is someone there? Show yourself!"

"So did someone actually send a young girl to kill me off?" A voice spoke out in the darkness ahead.

Marinette frowned "Seems that way."

The voice went quiet but very soft sounds of footsteps kept coming her way and she saw eerie green glowing eyes in the darkness. Once her eyes met the green they opened wide in shock and awe.

"Make yourself known Warlock." Marinette bolstered.

"Warlock? They sent a pretty faced girl like you to face a warlock? Sorry to burst any egos but…"

Out of the darkness stepped out a blonde young man who looked war torn and ragged but that didn't affect his handsome face. His eyes were so intense even though he tried to hide them under his long locks of hair.

"I'm no warlock." He finished.

She felt blindsided and her body felt like it was pulling her to get closer to him but she fought herself to remain where she was.

Her brow rose and she lifted her sword to point at the boy "Fine then you claim to be no warlock but then are you or are you not the one responsible for all the atrocities that have plagued this town for the past four years?"

He was dazed at her; he wasn't sure how to form his next words for it had been so long to speak or to even see another person. When seeing properly in the light he couldn't help but to ask why a beautiful woman would ever come to a place like this.

'Beautiful?' he surprised himself with the word. But it was accurate nonetheless.

He chastised himself for zoning out after she asked him a question "I am the one responsible. But I am no warlock I swear… I'm just cursed that's why I am here. I thought me being here would be further enough from the town to not affect them…Guess I was wrong." the boy said looking deflated.

"C-cursed?" she sputtered then dropping her sword and holding onto her chest.

"Mademoiselle! Ah!-" The young man tried to help her but was attacked by the ache he had for the last hour.

He couldn't help but push himself forward to her as he wobbled on his legs and she was on her knees. She plunged the torch into the ground and used her free hand to support her then she too tried to crawl forward subconsciously.

He fell on to the floor and panted from the burn sensation reaching his throat. His instincts were yelling at him to do what he feared most.

"Gr-rab my h-hand" he choked out.

It was an extreme risk, he knew it was but he felt like this was the only thing to do.

Would this be it for him?

She didn't argue and she stretched her hand out to his, fingertips away and with one foul swoop he grabbed her hand and cool water washed over him.

He felt reborn.

He looked up to look at how she faired and she although looking fine breathed in deeply like she just came out of a pool of water. She pushed herself up while still holding onto him.

"Are you alright- What happened to your face?!" Marinette almost jumped back.

The boy she grabbed hands with had transformed into another boy, one with shorter hair and normal green eyes that were human unlike the ones before. Perplexed the boy put his free hand on his face and felt no change in his opinion.

She picked up her sword and faced the blade to show a portion of his reflection. He looked and his heart felt like it was going to combust with joy!

"I'm.. me again." He said tearing up.

She couldn't help the pang of sadness going through her at his words.

'So he was telling the truth about being cursed.'

Without warning to her he jumped forward to grab her in a hug that made her heart pound harder than she ever recalled. She didn't know this boy but her body felt so right being with his and his arms felt happy and ever the more loving.

He realised his actions and retreated from his hug and pulled away bashfully "I'm sorry that was improper! I don't even know your name, how shameful of me!"

Marinette's face felt hot but her heart that was pounding a minute ago was now was fluttering. She coughed and tried to hide her red face.

"No, its fine. I didn't mind… I just feel rude as to not now your name."

He smiled so sweetly, the first she'd seen and her heart couldn't bear it. How that is so since she just met this boy, ready to kill him no less and yet she feels so drawn to him, forgetting that mission.

"It's Adrien and you m'lady?" he asked

She smiled at the title "Marinette and… we have a lot to talk about what just happened" she motioned getting up ad releasing his hand which felt cold.

He followed the motion and looked her straight into her blue bell eyes "Indeed we do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Curse Talk is coming up.
> 
> Spare this sick author some thoughts on the chapter?


	4. Saints and Sinners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where the one sinner chooses to move forward while another turns back.

**T** he cave they were in was terrifyingly dark and made random dripping noises that caused Marinette to jump now and then. If it weren’t for the torch she was carrying she wouldn’t know what to do in such vast darkness. Right now Adrien and she were going to where Adrien stayed in the cave and talk about what had just happened.

She walked behind the once cursed boy and felt a pang of sympathy for him. How long had he been in this darkness for? Had he even bothered to make a fire? Or even go outside in the light?

The walk was short and Adrien turned to face her “I guess maybe we can make a fire and warm up since its cold inside the cave.”

She nodded and watched him search for random sticks. Marinette lit the small bundle he found and she put her personal touch on it so it can last for a bit longer.

They sat down next to each other around the small fire and she angled herself to look at him in the eyes which gave Adrien an uneasy feeling in his stomach. I guess being alone for so long does that to people.

“So… “she began to start them off awkwardly.

“Yeah so ”

“Can we make sense of what happened earlier?” Marinette suggested.

Adrien looked at his bare human feet and tried thinking of any possible solution but was drawing a blank. Although he had thought of this Marinette girl being an angel but that would be too brazen to say aloud.

“I guess maybe I should tell you why I came here.” Marinette said changing the conversation slightly.

Adrien sighed not in frustration but out of tiredness.

“From our brief discussion back there I’m guessing someone sent you here to kill me. Please don’t take this the wrong way Marinette but why did they send a young woman to eminent danger?”

Although he had told her not to take it personally she did frown at the assumption but knew he meant well. If circumstances differed she probably wouldn’t have been sent.

She puffed out a short breath. Preparing to tell him what she was since she had nothing to hide and she owed him that much.

“I am a knight for starters. I’ve been one for a few years and have been fighting in a rebellion for several years until we disbanded because... well not important.” Marinette felt too pained to open that wound again.

“I’ve come home after several years to find more severity in the plagues that had started before I left and the town had been hit with a terrible illness. The king was desperate and here I am.” Marinette summed up.

Adrien’s formerly shy gaze was locked on her with much intensity. His green cursed looking cat eyes felt less intense than the sceptical look he was giving her now.

He spoke with respect though “I don’t doubt your skills Marinette but why did the king specifically pick you?”

The big question wasn’t it?

Marinette’s blue bell eyes looked into his summer green’s and felt like the next thing she was going to possibly bring Adrien’s sanity to rest or cause it to worsen.

“It’s because I’ve been cursed with good luck.”

* * *

 

Gabriel Agreste had been a hollow of a man for the last few years.

Some would say that the man was already a dead man walking. He had no wife, no son, had no will and he would live in his ivory cage until sweet death claimed him.

He felt what those people had said to be accurate.

He could have just let things be all those years ago and somehow go through life without Emile and still have his son around. But no he was a coward who wouldn’t go after his son after he took off in utter agony and fright.

He still is a coward because he knew his son was alive since he knew why the town was the way it was. His son was out there and Gabriel decided to wither away in his home. He thought of finding the person who could’ve awakened with the blessing of good luck but the rumours varied and were unreliable over the years.

That was until earlier that day.

His capable Housekeeper Natalie walked into his office that had its heavy curtains cover a monstrous sized window which made it so very dark even in the middle of the day. She coughed alerting him of her presence as he had his head on the table mentally exhausted.

“Yes what is it?” he asked coldly.

Her posture didn’t falter and her voice was trained in a monotone stance “I have interesting news for you sir.”

“I'm not interested in maid banter Natalie.” He dismissed.

“It isn’t banter Monsieur. Informants have told me of the King’s desperate attempt of curing the princess and it’s led his majesty to a local bakery.”

“I wasn’t aware the local bakers were doctors as well.” Gabriel cynically replied rolling his eyes.

“They’re not but their daughter has been dissipating plagues without her knowledge and the King is confident she could cure his daughter.” she informed with a hint of a smile on her face.

He paused from writing on his document and looked up to her with a cold look

“I'm listening”

* * *

 

Trauma and excitement were filling Adrien’s brain. He felt his mouth dry up slightly and yet felt like he couldn’t catch his breath. Had he heard her right or was he hearing voices again? Was it that dark voice that always crept into the back of his mind when he longed for company or was he hearing her right genuine?

He asked in a raspy voice “You… what?” he choked out.

Blinking in surprise she confusedly repeated “I’m… cursed with good luck…”

 He stood up startling her and he looked at her in bewilderment.

“So it was you all this time.” He whispered and shakily stood on his feet.

“Adrien what’s the matter?” Marinette called to him while he seemed to be in another world.

A beat had past and collapsed on his knees and grabbed Marinette’s hands. He hid his face from her so not to reveal his pained face.

“You…you were the one we needed… not me. I roped you into our mess…”

“Adrien, please what’s going on?” she worriedly pressed him.

He shook his head violently and stood up “I'm sorry” he muttered before he dashed away from her.

He ran with all that he could out of the cave and to hide his shame onto the next secluded place he could find. He couldn’t pull himself to tell her of his sins. Nor what kind of inconvenience he might have given her.

For all he knew, yes, she did have good luck but having such a gift came with responsibility that he had handed it to her without consent. Even worse the thought that if he wielded her gift in the first place, where would that leave her? With that disgusting form… and the unthinkable thought of what could have happened to her loved ones.

He really was selfish in the end.

The light threw him off when he exited the cave and the tickling of his name was behind him. As soon as he made it inside he was stopped by an all too familiar pain that coursed through his body.

He fell to the floor in agony and tried to gag his scream.

“Adrien!” Marinette cried out to him while she rushed to his side.

Her arrival dissipated the pain and was disappearing without hesitation. He opened his shut eyes to see his body had been turning back to his last form and was now reverting. What did any of this mean? What sick joke is happening right now?

“Adrien look at me please” Marinette sobbed, frightened by what happened.

He did as she asked and it was blinding. She really was beautiful even looking as frightened as he thought she would be witnessing what had occurred.

Her blue eyes looked bluer than ever with tears slipping down from them. Her cheeks which are covered in freckles were rosy and her shiny raven hair was tussled everywhere.

These emotions here suffocating and she was overpowering him.

“I'm sorry.” He whispered.

Her fright turned into anger “Just… don’t do that again! You can’t just leave without explaining anything or scaring me half to death!”

“I know.” He said breathlessly.

She looked exasperated “Can we try this again and figure this out?”

When pulled up and he caught sight of the sunset. He looked at it as if it were the last time he was going to see it for he wasn’t sure if what little of what he had was still intact, including his hope and sanity.

“Okay but you’re not going to like what I'm about to share.”

* * *

 

The sound of pages where flipping through in the mansions library that afternoon, as the master of the domain was attempting to retrace his steps on the mistake he made years ago. Every thought of what could have gone right cursed his being. What could have he done differently?

And the small thought of that his son might be discovered by the local baker’s miracle child made him feel conflicted.

Since he heard about this lucky maiden who mysteriously came back home after so many years he began reading that book again. Though Gabriel was reluctant at first, since it caused all current problems, he noticed how the book didn’t contain the same aura it had in the beginning. When he and his wife obtained the book it felt almost alive and yet at the moment Gabriel opened it his first thought was that it was dead, lifeless, without a trace of what it had before.

He brought out his old notes that he transcribed or deciphered from the foreign texts to see what secrets he could unfold.

He paged until he reached the same page that him and Adrien tried to cast. Images of his wife and son flickered through his memory and his chest tightened. He quickly turned the page over but the dog ear didn’t fold the way it should.

Gabriel rubbed the old paper between his fingers and without a doubt that there was a page stuck to another that he had never seen. His heart was thumping at the revelation as he carefully pried the pages apart.

The image of something otherworldly was illustrated on the never before seen page and could only be interpreted as ominous. Gabriel’s eyes darted from his own notes to the book and quickly picked out familiar words.

_‘Creation, Destruction, Merge, Power, Sacrifice, Wish’_

The sound of a creaking door broke Gabriel out of his stupor bringing him to hear Natalie enter.

“Sorry to interrupt sir but my informants have learned that the illness that fell upon everyone has been alleviated. And the Bakers daughter hasn’t returned yet.”

His cold blue stare held its gaze on the page as he heard the events “Notify me as soon as she has returned, otherwise I will take the matter of bringing her back myself… along with my son.”

* * *

 

Twilight was such an odd time; it filled the world with wonder and splendour. Adrien soaked it up as much as it permitted him. The sky was dancing and bouncing between colours, transitioning from yellow to orange, orange to pink, and pink to purple. No cloud was in sight and the stars were shimmering beyond the dark blue that sat on top of the other colours.

He told her everything.

She just sat beside him and watched the sky as he was but her silence was suffocating him.

No doubt after he told her what had happened there were so many things she could be disgusted at and he just sat and waited to here which one revolted her the most.  Was it the fact that he killed his mother? Or ran from home, hiding from everything? Maybe just even the fact that he jumped into that ridiculous ploy for a sliver of a chance of a selfish wish made Marinette think he was reckless and idiotic.

“I'm sorry Adrien.”

When he looked her in the eye he wanted to make sure that she was being serious.

“What?” he asked unthinkingly.

Her eyes were filled with sincerity and warmth opposed to another set of blue eyes he had been familiar with. Her eyes shimmered with the stars twinkling above and if he wasn’t mistaken it looked as if she was tearing up.

“I said I'm sorry. What you went through… I can’t imagine how you must feel or how hurt you are.”

He felt winded from her words.

‘How? How can she say that?’

“You were expecting hatred from me, weren’t you?” Marinette caught on.

“OF course I do. I'm sure I caused you trouble no doubt, obviously you don’t like having the power of luck because you called it a curse earlier on and in the end if it had been me who got your luck then… how could you ever feel sorrow for me, for what I’ve done?”

She stood up tall and balled her fists “Because we all make mistakes and I can never think that what you went through was justified! You wanted to heal your mother and help your father and suddenly now you are filth or scum? I know all too well what it means to take risks for others… or at least that is what I was taught.”

Images of seeing her friend tied to that post before it was torched… seeing her placid smile before she said goodbye from afar.

Marinette extended her hand to the boy of destruction “The next step for you now though is whether or not you will move forward.”

He didn’t hesitate to stand and grab your hand.

“You are something else Marinette. Although I have one concern.” He said with brightened eyes

“There’s a strong possibility you can’t leave my side, right?”

That’s the thing now wasn’t it?

Because if they were to separate, balance would be no more. And he wasn’t sure if he can make it without her.

Curse or no curse.

**Author's Note:**

> So this was supposed to be a One-shot… and once I started writing, I began researching and the further I went into the story… there was no chance I can make this short. I get that I can just make this a jumbo one chapter story but that kind of defeats the purpose of a light and airy read known as a one-shot. Idk.
> 
> Hope you liked this so far and please let me know what you guys think


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